1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a digital image processing technique used in digital photoprinters and the like. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an image processing apparatus capable of outputting both photo-print data and image-file data, and also directed to an image forming apparatus with employment of such an image processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when images which are photographed on photographic films known as negative films and reversal films are printed on photosensitive materials (photographic paper), a so-called “direct exposure method” has been mainly employed. That is, the images of the photographic films are projected onto the photographic materials and then the projected photographic materials are exposed.
In contrast to such a direct exposure method, very recently, printing apparatus using “digital exposure” methods are practically operable. In other words, digital photo-printers are commercially available. In such a digital photo-printer, while an image recorded on a photographic film (will be simply referred to as a “film” hereinafter) is read out in a photoelectric converting manner, the read image is converted into a digital image signal. Thereafter, this digital image signal is processed by performing various sorts of image processing operations so as to produce image data for recording purposes. Then, a photo-sensitive material is exposed by scanning the recording light which is modulated in response to this image data so as to record an image (latent image) on this photo-sensitive material. This recorded latent image is developed so as to be printed as a digital photo-print.
Basically, this digital photo-printer is arranged by a scanner (image reading apparatus), an image processing apparatus, a printer (image recording apparatus), and a processor (developing apparatus). In the scanner, the reading light is entered into a photographic film, and an image recorded on the film is read in a photoelectric manner by reading the projection light from this film. In the image processing apparatus, a predetermined process operation is carried out with respect to image data read by the scanner, or image data supplied from a digital camera and the like in order to produce such image data (exposure condition) suitable for image recording operation. In the printer, a photosensitive material is scanned/exposed by way of, for example, an optical beam scanning operation in response to the image data outputted from the image processing apparatus so as to record a latent image. In the processor, the photosensitive material exposed by the printer is developed so as to produce finished a photo-print on which the image is reproduced.
In accordance with such a digital photoprinter, since the image can be processed in the proper image processing manner by executing the image data processing operation, gradation control operation, color balance control operation, color density control operation, and the like are carried out in a proper manner, so that photo-prints having high image qualities can be obtained. Such high image qualities could not be obtained by the conventional direct exposure method.
Also, since images are handled as digital image data, digital photo-printers may output as photo-prints, not only images photographed on films, but also images photographed by a digital camera and so on, or images acquired by a communication device such as the Internet in such a digital photo-printer.
Furthermore, since images are handled as digital image data, not only photo-prints, but also image data (image files) of images reproduced on photo-prints may be outputted onto various sorts of recording media such as a CD-R and an MO (magneto optical recording medium) In response to requests of customers (persons who request to form photo-prints), a digital photo-printer may provide both photo-prints and image files (recording media for recording image files).
The applicant of the present invention has disclosed the image processing apparatus (image recording apparatus) capable of outputting both such photo-prints and also such image files in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei. 10-117262, and No. Hei. 11-234514. The image processing/recording apparatus disclosed in these applications can output both the photo-prints and the image files so as to be provided for customers, if necessary.
Also, as one of specific printing requests made by customers, a so-called “trimming” function is provided, by which a portion of an image photographed on a film is cut out, and the cut image portion is enlarged to be reproduced as a photo-print, if required. Also, in digital photo-printers, such a “trimming” function requires cumbersome process operations such as cutting of images and variable magnification (magnifying power) process operation in combination with special manual works by operators. As to this specific printing request, the applicant has proposed the image processing apparatus in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei. 11-177802. That is, in this image processing apparatus, while an aspect ratio of a trimming area is automatically set in response to a size of an output image (print), an operator instructs/adjusts trimming areas and/or trimming magnification, so that a trimming work by an operator can be carried out in a simple manner and also in a high efficiency. As a result, lowering of productivity caused by the trimming operation can be properly mitigated.
However, in the case that both the photo-prints and the image files are outputted by the digital photo-printer, since the total pixel numbers of these photo-prints and image files are different from each other and also the aspect ratios thereof are different from each other, the proper magnification should be determined with respect to both the photo-prints and the image files. When a trimming operation is carried out, there is such a problem that trimming effects can be hardly reflected on both the photo-prints and the image files in proper manners.